Friday 21 July 2017

Are Your Words Working? // lagging behind on goals and schedules

We're onto the twenty-first day of the month. Only ten more days left before August. Are you on target? Are those words working just how you planned them to be?

For me, I have to admit that the answer is actually no.


Now, I know it sounds bizarre. "But Jane, you finished your camp nano goal aaages ago and you finished your novella and what's wrong with all that??" And all that is completely true but I had (and still have) a few other things planned for this month, and it was all nicely scheduled out on my dry erase whiteboard calendar. (seriously though, if you don't use one of these, you need to try it. It's amazing.) 

I aimed to finish writing on the 15th - tick that box.
I aimed to have at least 25k - tick, again.
I also aimed to have a teensy bit of an easier time - and I think I can check that off too.

But then we get to the second half of the month.

I hoped to finish one of my critiquing novels on the 17th.
I hoped to finish the book I'd been given for free from the author to read and review.
I hoped to dig right in and get down to editing A Sprig of Green right away.
I hoped to finish my rough edits + synopsis.
I hoped to start on a beta reading novel so I had plenty of time to finish it before the end of the month.
Not even mentioning that I really really hoped to have plenty of free time to read the Road Rules book and prepare for my driving test.

None of that went according to plan. And looking at that list, I can honestly see why. I had unrealistic expectations. There was no way I was going to be able to do all that and school and life. I'm an overachiever sometimes and I like pushing myself and giving myself challenges. A lot of the time, I also overestimate myself. I simply cannot fit that much in. And adding to that, all the random things that just pop up unexpectedly and snatch away some of that precious time that I'm desperately trying to balance.

BUT. That's not where the story ends. We're only just getting to the best part.

I'm actually okay with this. I can see that I'm not up to the level I was hoping for, but that's okay. Maybe I don't need to be. I'm right where God needs me at the moment. Because when I'm here and I'm falling behind, I can look up and know that He's got a plan and, my goodness, it's better than ANYTHING I could ever come up with.

And sometimes it's in times like right now, when I stop and look at my goals and what I had hoped and planned to get done, that I realise that it really is better this way. I didn't finish a lot of those things because I was busy.

I was busy living.




So today, I want to encourage all of you, whatever you're doing - whether you're falling behind on goals, whether your striving insanely to reach them before you run out of time, or whether you're sitting right at the top and relaxing already. Whatever place you're at, stop and take a breath.

Take time to look up to God and just smile. Smile because what He's done. What He's doing. And what He will do.

Take a moment of every day and live.


How are your goals and plans working out?
Do you have any methods for keeping on track or scheduling out your plans?

12 comments:

  1. Needed that reminder! Between my job, #RebelliousWriting, Camp NaNo and preparing for grad school, I'm one really busy beaver this summer. I really do need to take some time out and breathe a little.

    (Hey btw, I've been meaning to email you back about #RW. Totally understand why you stepped down and agree with you! Whenever you feel ready, we'd love for you to guest post or help us out in any way!)

    Catherine
    catherinesrebellingmuse.blogspot.com

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    1. Yay, I'm glad you found my ramblings helpful. <3 Yes, take all the time to just breathe. Get outside - that's always good (unless it's too hot, because summer?). *nods*

      (oh yep yep thank you. <33 I'll definitely note down any guest post thoughts or ideas that I might get. *fingerguns* Thanks again. ^-^)

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  2. Oooh, great blog post ^-^ Really made me think about some things.
    'Goals' aren't really working for me xP and it's kinda silly cos they're pretty small... Hm. Anyway.. *give ye thumbs up* cool quotes :)

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    1. Eyy that's good. <33 :D
      Heh yeah sometimes they don't work out, because a) you're not a goals person or b) you don't take yourself seriously enough to really press yourself to meet those goals. *shrug* That's what I've worked out/thought so far. *hugs* Thank yee. :)

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  3. mm, so true. I really needed that reminder! Things are just a little out of place this month, so this has definitely been me. I have learned and done so many things this summer, and honestly I am kind of glad that I was ok with my work not being first priority :)

    Beautiful visuals by the way! <3

    Anna - www.worldthroughherheart.blogspot.com

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    1. <333 I know just how that is. So good that you could get stuff done though!! Learning is always a wonderful thing. :D

      Thank you! :)

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  4. Mine aren't.. but I figure that I'm just in a stage of life where I want to get out more and experience things, so even though I'm still writing, I'm not trying to go super fast or anything.

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    1. Yes, and that's /good/. *nudges you toward alll the things* To be able to write realistically, you need to have a real life too. :P (not at all meaning that to be taken "go experience the world and do all the worldly stuff that God tells us is bad" because no way. >.< Don't do that. XD) Slow is good sometimes.

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  5. Aw, good for you! Thanks for the reminder. :-)
    I LOVE THAT QUOTE BY LORD BRYON, it is so good. XD
    My goals are working pretty good... we'll see at the end of July. ;-)
    No, I don't normally schedule things. I should. :-D I do make myself to-do lists and hang them up over my desk.

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    1. You're very welcome. :) <3
      SAME. It's so cool.
      YAY I'M SO HAPPY FOR YOU!!! *bounces up and down in excitement* That's great. :D
      Oh nice nice that is a good way of managing time too though. *nods*

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  6. Thank you, Jane for this timely reminder. I seem to get too caught up in getting my to-do list done that when I don't get it all done, I'm not doing well enough. So, this was a great post for me to read today! Thanks again girl! That was a big encouragement to me!

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    1. Aw yay! It makes me very happy to know that this helped you. <33 *hugs* I do that exact same thing over and over again.

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